Line and colour

Part 4 Experiment with oil pastel resists, acrylic inks and watercolour to create exciting textures and effects, with Tim Fisher

Tim Fisher

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

■ Build confidence with resist techniques

■ How to use acrylic inks

■ Mixed-media techniques made simple

I continue my series on inks by demonstrating how to combine inks with oil pastel this month. I was inspired by a documentary in which Henry Moore demonstrated how he used resists to produce his shelter drawings during the Blitz. The way his drawings came to life when a wash was applied over what I think was a wax candle resist was almost magical. So I began experimenting with oil pastel as a water-resistant medium that offers a colourful alternative to wax candles.

Your materials

A smooth surface offers the best type of ground for applying oil pastel. An off-cut of picture framer’s mountcard worked on the reverse (white) side makes a good surface on which to work.

About Leisure Painter

Welcome to a summer of drawing and painting with Leisure Painter. This month we tackle summer landscapes, gardens and flowers, buildings, harbours and boats, animals, local scenes, a moonlit seascape, horses and a flamenco dancer in a variety of your favourite media. If you're ready to try something different, experiment with oil pastel resists with acrylic inks and watercolour, look at coloured grounds for mixed-media work and embrace digital with an app that will help you draw and paint better pictures! From loose and lively to detail, monotone to colour work, and projects from photographs to how to paint from life - enjoy another month of practical tutorials, demonstrations and inspiration.